VANCOUVER – Premier Gordon Campbell and
Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
Stockwell Day celebrated the arrival of the first bus of what will become the
world’s largest single hydrogen fuel cell bus fleet today in Vancouver.

“The arrival of “Bus 1” of the
hydrogen fuel cell bus is a major step forward as we work to build a Hydrogen Highway that stretches from Whistler to Victoria and beyond,” said Premier
Campbell. “This fleet will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1,800 tonnes per
year in B.C. and – when the world comes to our province in 2010 – it will
showcase British Columbia’s expertise in cutting-edge hydrogen and fuel cell
technology to the world.”

“Our government is
proud that our country's first hydrogen fuel cell bus is being unveiled today,
to be used during the 2010 Olympics,” said Minister Day. “By investing in the
development of green buses and refueling stations, we are creating jobs today
and also ensuring that British Columbia is a world leader in hydrogen fuel cell
technology.”

The 20 hydrogen fuel cell buses
will be in operation as part of the BC Transit fleet in Whistler during the
2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and beyond. It will be the world’s
largest hydrogen fuel cell bus fleet operating in a single location.

“The introduction of this new
bus represents a major milestone for BC Transit. Not only is it the first
hydrogen bus, but it’s also the thousandth bus within our fleet,” said BC
Transit president and CEO Manuel Achadinha. “This bus, along with the other 19,
represents our ongoing commitment to investing in greener technologies.”

Total funding for the hydrogen
fuel cell bus project, covering capital and operating costs to March 2014, is
$89.5 million. $45 million is from the Government of Canada and $44.5 million
is from the Province and BC Transit.

The development of a
hydrogen bus fleet is part of B.C.’s commitment to fuel cell technologies and
the Hydrogen Highway as part of the overall plan to cut greenhouse gas
emissions by 33 per cent by 2020. The Hydrogen Highway is a government-industry
initiative seeking to accelerate the demonstration and commercialization of
hydrogen and fuel cell technologies from British Columbia to California. For more information on the Hydrogen Highway, go to: www.hydrogenhighway.ca

The new buses produce no
smog-creating emissions and no greenhouse gases at the tailpipe. Hydrogen is
combined with oxygen in the fuel cell to electrochemically produce
electricity. Heat and water are the only by-products. Operating 20 fuel cell
buses over one year will eliminate more than 1800 tonnes of greenhouse gas
emissions, compared to a diesel fleet of the same number of buses.

By 2020, the $14 billion
Provincial Transit Plan will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4.7 million
tonnes cumulatively and double transit ridership to more than 400 million trips
per year.

·The hydrogen fuelling station – which is both a
new transit depot and a fuelling depot – is under construction in Whistler and
scheduled to begin operations in November.

·The ultimate goal of the project is to
demonstrate for the first time the integration of hydrogen fuel cell buses into
the regular service of an urban transit system, and to monitor the fleet’s
operations, maintenance and fuelling over a sustained period.

·Lifecycle costs for the fuel cell buses will be
evaluated over the next few years to determine how they compare to current
internal combustion engine technology.

·The outcome of this demonstration project will
determine if hydrogen fuel cell buses could be put into service in other
communities.

·The low-floor buses will have a range of 450 to
500 kilometres before refuelling and a top speed of 90 kilometres per hour.

·Hydrogen fuel cell buses are more energy
efficient than conventional internal combustion buses; can be fuelled by
hydrogen produced by many methods, including renewable fuel sources such as
hydro-electric power; and provide a quieter, smoother ride than conventional
buses.

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Contact:

Bridgitte Anderson

Press Secretary

Office of the Premier

604 307-7177

Dave Crebo

Communications Director

Ministry of Transportation and
Infrastructure

250 387-7787

Chris Day

Press Secretary

Office of Canada’s Minister of Transport
and Infrastructure

613 991-0700

Joanna Morton

Media Relations Manager

BC Transit

250 995-5720

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website at www.gov.bc.ca.